


Fever Pitch

by Victorious56



Series: Early Days [8]
Category: RWBY
Genre: Developing Relationship, Illness, M/M, Pre-Relationship, not much flirting I'm afraid, sorry about that
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-11
Updated: 2020-05-11
Packaged: 2021-03-03 01:07:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,859
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24126358
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Victorious56/pseuds/Victorious56
Summary: Qrow gets an opportunity to demonstrate his bedside manner.
Relationships: Qrow Branwen/Clover Ebi
Series: Early Days [8]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1708144
Comments: 10
Kudos: 55





	Fever Pitch

Clover woke, unable to ignore the pounding in his head. He lay still, eyes closed against the painful daylight, as the hammering increased. There was someone at his door.

He struggled to a sitting position, his head throbbing painfully. The buzzing of his scroll penetrated the fuzzy cocoon enveloping his brain.

_I'm outside your door, are you awake?_

What was Marrow doing here? Was there an emergency? Clover's brain was sluggish, his thoughts elusive. _Everything hurts._

He crawled from the bed and got to the door. Marrow looked at him in alarm as the door opened. Clover gripped the handle as if it were the only thing stopping him from sinking to the floor.

"Boss, you look dreadful. I came to see if you were okay, but obviously you're not."

"I don't feel too bright. I think I might have caught something." He coughed painfully, turning his face against his shoulder.

"I think so too. Shall I come in and... help somehow?"

"No, don't want you getting it too. I've got medicine I can take, give me a couple of days and I'll be fine."

Marrow looked doubtfully at him. "Only if you're sure..."

"Yeah, just let the others know, could you? Thanks, Marrow." He raised his hand weakly, closing the door on Marrow's concerned face.

Clover got a glass of water and took it to the nightstand. He crept back under the covers and closed his eyes.

❖

He woke some time later to more knocking. _Marrow, that'd better not be you again_. He got out of bed, his legs buckling. The knock at the door was repeated.

"Coming," he croaked. He managed to get there and open it, to see Qrow standing in the hallway.

"Steady on, sunbeam." Qrow caught hold of Clover as he slumped against the doorframe.

"Go away, you shouldn't come in." Clover's voice was raspy as he tried feebly to push Qrow back.

"Don't be an idiot, come back to bed."

"Thought you'd never ask." Clover looked at him, eyes too bright in his flushed face. Qrow gave a grim smile.

"You can't fool me. You're not well."

"You may be right." Clover fell onto the bed, and Qrow took his legs and tucked them in.

Qrow felt his forehead. "You've got quite a temperature. I think it's Sanusian Flu."

"What?"

"Sanusian Flu. It's going round at the moment; it's not much fun."

"You shouldn't be here then."

"I'm okay, I had it ages ago. I should be safe."

Clover groaned and closed his eyes. Qrow looked at him with anxiety. "Have you taken anything?"

"Yeah, some medicine on the side there." He lifted his hand in a weak gesture.

Qrow went to the bathroom and came back with a damp cloth. He wiped Clover's face and neck gently, whilst the younger man relaxed a little against the pillow.

"Are you hungry at all?"

"Not really... I don't have much of an appetite to be honest."

"That's okay, but you need to keep drinking water."

"Yes nurse." Clover smiled faintly at him, and stretched to reach the glass. He picked it up awkwardly and spilt most of the water over himself and the bed.

Qrow sighed. "You're not with it at all, are you? Let's get these wet things off."

He fetched a towel and dried Clover's chest after he'd removed the wet t-shirt. Clover was shivering, his skin flushed and warm.

Qrow found a dry t-shirt and pulled it over Clover's head. With some difficulty he changed the wet bedclothes.

"Right, there you go. Don't try that again. If you need the water, let me know."

"Will you be here, then?" Clover's voice had a hopeful note.

"I will for now, yeah. You should get some rest."

"Yeah, think I will." He closed his eyes. "Thank you."

"Not a problem." Qrow stood for a while, looking at Clover, before gathering the wet things and taking them to the bathroom.

❖

Several hours later, Clover woke and rubbed his eyes. He tried to sit up, falling back onto the pillow when the effort proved too much. The noise brought Qrow to the bedroom.

"How are you doing?"

Clover licked his lips. "Not great. Feel like I've been sparring for ten hours straight."

"Yeah, Sanusian Flu will do that to you. Here, have some water." He helped Clover to raise himself, and held the glass to his lips.

"Ugh, the water tastes odd." He sank back, exhausted from this small exertion.

Qrow wiped Clover's face again, feeling his forehead. "Still feverish. That should pass by tomorrow, hopefully." He smoothed some damp strands of hair away from Clover's face.

"What time is it?"

"About five o'clock. I'm going to need to eat soon, can I leave you for a bit?"

"Of course." Clover gripped Qrow's hand. "Thanks, Qrow."

"It's fine. I had nothing better to do," he smiled.

Clover's mouth twisted into a grin. "You make me feel so special." He started coughing.

Qrow helped him to sit, plumping up the pillows behind Clover's back. "Try sitting up a bit, it might ease the cough. Are you sure I can leave you? I won't be long."

"You go. Don't want you passing out through lack of food."

"I'll leave the door unlocked. Don't cough yourself to death while I'm gone."

  


Qrow returned as quickly as he could. Clover had fallen asleep, his breathing harsh in the stuffy room. Qrow opened the window a fraction, and closed the curtains.

He messaged Ruby to update her on the situation, and spent a few hours on his scroll. After a final check on Clover, he found a blanket and stretched out on the sofa.Qrow recalled the last time he'd spent the night in Clover's quarters. _Hmm, looks like it's my turn to be vigilant tonight_.

He was woken in the early hours of the morning. Clover's raised voice drew him quickly to the bedroom, just able to discern the figure sitting up in bed.

"You shouldn't do that. Get away from them. Go away."

His eyes now more used to the dark, Qrow could see Clover's glittering stare as he spoke to something that wasn't there.

"No, just stop. You need to go away now."

Qrow fetched a towel and dried Clover's sweaty skin. "Why is it you? Why you?"

"It's okay sunbeam, it's all good." Qrow knew that fever could cause delirium. He had no idea what Clover could see, and hoped it wouldn't develop into a fight with an imaginary foe.

Clover looked into his face, his eyes briefly focussing on Qrow. "Thank you, Qrow." He slumped back onto the pillow, his hands plucking at the edge of the covers.

Qrow did not return to the sofa. He wrapped the blanket around himself, trying to get comfortable in the bedroom chair, for what remained of the night.

❖

By morning, Clover's fever had passed. He woke to see Qrow slouched in the chair, blanket sliding onto the floor. He cautiously got out of bed, legs wobbly but head clearer than the previous day. Keeping one hand on the edge of the bed, he walked slowly round to Qrow, and nudged him gently.

Qrow spluttered and sat up, rubbing his face and squinting at Clover.

"Morning." Clover's voice was scratchy, and he coughed several times.

"What are you doing out of bed? Get back at once." Qrow recalled many times in the past he'd had to use that tone with Ruby or Yang.

"Sorry, just wanted to check you were okay."

" _I'm_ okay, you're the one who's sick. Come on now." He hauled himself from the chair and patted Clover's butt to get him moving. Weak though he felt, Clover couldn't resist pausing by the bed, causing Qrow's hands to press more firmly than he'd intended.

For a moment Qrow let himself enjoy the contact, then he moved his hands up to Clover's waist. "Back to bed." His voice was firm, and he felt the heat rise in his face. "You're supposed to be feeling ill," he said crossly.

Clover slid back under the covers. "Sorry." He didn't look remorseful.

Qrow put his hand against Clover's forehead. "That's much better. Now, how about something to eat?"

"Not sure... my mouth feels weird."

"I have just the thing." Qrow went to the kitchen, returning after a few minutes with a plate.

"An orange?"

"When I had the flu, I found the only thing I could eat was orange or lemon stuff. So I... purloined some oranges from the kitchen."

"Tut tut, Qrow." Clover took a piece of orange. "Mmm, this tastes good."

"Actually, I may have mentioned you weren't well. They almost fell over themselves trying to give me things for you."

Clover touched Qrow's hand with sticky fingers. "Thank you. I seem to be saying that a lot at the moment."

Qrow blushed. "You're welcome." He looked down at the carpet.

"Anyway," he continued, "How are you feeling?"

"A bit better than yesterday. My head isn't hurting so much, and I don't feel shivery. I'm a bit feeble though."

"Yeah, you should probably stay in bed today. You might be able to get up tomorrow."

Clover thought about protesting, but it was too much like hard work. "Okay."

"Uh, right then. What can I get you? Do you want your scroll, or a book... or something?"

"I'd like to use the bathroom, have a wash, you know."

"Yeah, go ahead. I'll have a bit of a tidy up."

Clover watched Qrow leave the room. _It feels good having him here._

  


Qrow spent the day keeping Clover company. In between getting him food and drinks, he read to Clover to pass the time.

"I can't believe you read this stuff." Qrow was not a fan of Clover's literary preferences.

"I know it's nonsense, but it's entertaining. Relaxing. Especially when someone else is reading to me."

"Hmm, don't get used to it." Qrow was enjoying the experience, but he wasn't going to admit it.

After making Clover some toast later, and tidying up as best he could, Qrow sat down with a sigh. "All this looking after someone is hard work."

"Well, you didn't _have_ to stay. But I'm glad you did. Anyway, it's good practice for when you have kids."

"Can't see that happening any time soon."

"You never know. Stranger things have happened."

Qrow rubbed his chin and looked at Clover. "Yeah, maybe."

The younger man blushed and spent some time rearranging the bed clothes. "Uh, I'm feeling quite tired, if you want to get off."

"Are you sure? I _should_ go and see how the kids are doing."

"It's fine, Qrow, you've been... so kind. It's— I'm glad you could stay, thanks."

Qrow stood up and stretched. "Give me a buzz if you need anything, any time, okay? I won't mind."

"I will... might you be able to call in tomorrow?"

"Yeah, I'll see how you're doing before breakfast if you like."

"I would. Thanks, Qrow."

Qrow stood by the bed. He dropped a hand on Clover's head and tousled his hair. "See you tomorrow."

Clover lifted his hand and rested it briefly on Qrow's.

"See you tomorrow."

**Author's Note:**

> Friendly comments always appreciated, thank you.


End file.
